Baseball game



M. c. MEYER BASEBALL GAME Dec. 2s, 194s.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1945 Fzg. 2

INVENTOR Maximzlzan C.' Meg/er BY Fig. 3

El@ I A TTORNE y Dec. 28, 1948.

BASEBALL GAME Fig. 6

INVENTOR. Maxmilmn CI Meyer ATTORNEYS M. c. MEYERv 2,457,167

Patented Dec. 28, 1,948

BASEBALL GAME Maximilian C. Meyer, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 7, 1945, Serial No. 587,071

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a novel educational and recreational baseball game and more particularly my invention relates to a baseball game that is mechanically operated but is substantially entirely governed by the discretional acts of judgment exercised in playing the game of baseball.

Many games based on baseball have been proposed but they have lacked public acceptance primarily because they are baseball games in name only and have no realistic relation to the game of baseball as it is known and played by substantially all American men and boys. Although the prospective usermay be drawn to such games because of their appearance or because they are called baseball games, any specific examination soon makes evident the fact that the playing of the game basically depends on pure chan-ce alone as exemplified by the use of a spinner dial and no baseball strategy or judgment is required or useful in their playing.

II [t is the object of my invention to provide a novel baseball game that can be played by two individuals or two teams in such a manner that the team that exercises the superior baseball j udgment Aand strategy will have the advantage over its opponent inthe same Way that that superior judgment and strategy will constitute an advantage in the ordinary game of baseball.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baseball game in which the moves are controlled so as to prevent predetermination ofthe play.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a novel baseball game that embodies in mechanical form a true reincarnation of baseball as played on the diamond.

` It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel mechanical baseball game in which a pitcher can exercise his own discretion and present to the batter a variety of pitches according to his judgment.

y It is a further object of my present invention to provide a novel vmechanical baseball game in which the batter can, through the exercise of his own discretion, decide whether to hit at or take the ball delivered by the pitcher.

It is the further object of my invention to provide a mechanical baseball game in which the batter can exercise his judgment as to the kind of pitch that the pitcher is delivering and govern his own response accordingly as is the practice in the playing of the actual game of baseball.

It is the further object of my invention to provide a mechanical game of baseball in which various-moves can be made effectively or which correspond generally to the baseball strategy in the ordinary game of baseball.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel mechanical game in which a ball may be delivered into a rotating element comprising a series of separate compartments in such a man. ner that the ball will remain within that element and quickly settle in one compartment thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide ball actuating means so spaced as to prevent the opposing player from'predetermining the batters operations and from allowing the batter to predetermine the pitchers operations.

It is a further objectof the present invention to provide a stable but delicately balanced Wheel having a number of ball receiving compartments.

I accomplish these objects `by a mechanical game in Which a batting stand is provided on a board adjacent to a rotatable Wheel. The pitcher places a ball, While concealed from the batter, into a selected hole or slot according to Whether he wishes to pitch a ball or a strike, and he may also elect Whether the ball Will be an incurve oran outcurve. A batter can either decide to hit at the ball, or to take the ball. If he takes the ball then he is credited with the ball or charged with a strike, depending on Whether the pitcher delivered .a ball or strike. lIf hestrikes at the ball', then he must judge as to Whether the pitcher dei livered an incurve, straight ball or an out-curve, and tap a corresponding plunger device. If he guesses incorrectly, `he is charged with a strike because the plunger Will not contact the ball. If he guesses correctly, then the plunger discharges the ball from the opening into the rotating wheel, Where, as in ordinary baseball, upon ther ball being hit out into' the eld, a safe hit or an out may result.

Both the pitchers actions and the batters actions arel determined by the number of strikes, balls, the outs, and the presence of men on bases.

The sidev at bat may elect to attempt to steal when their runner is on base and are provided with means for determining whether or not such steals are successful.

Strategy in judgment that plays so important apart in `ordinary baseball, plays an equally im portant part in this game. j

The game itself and the baseball judgment and the strategy that may be exercised in the playing of the game will best be understood from consideration of thedraWings and the specific descrip-lv tion which here follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gameflo'f my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the baseball game of of my invention.

Figure 4 is a view of a modified form of the batting stand shown in Figures l, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a front view of a modified form of the batting standof myirrvention.v i

Referring now more speciical'ly to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a rotating wheel I0 centrally balanced at I I so as to rotate as shown in Figure 2 by means of a ball bearing I2 on which rests the center cap I I, the ball bearing I2 resting in a seat I3 on the top of a central pin I4 secured to the base board I6 by means of a vfastening device II. The wheel I 0 is adapted to -be manually spun and rotates freely on the ball bearing I2,

As shown in Figure 1 there is located on the rear of .the base board .I6 a batting stan-d ,I 8 which comprises a pitching side generally ldenoted ,as I9` and a battingside generally v.denoted .as 20. The pitcher side 4.I9 comprises a cavity in which are disposed three openings ZYI 2.2, and 23. As shown in the cross sectional view of Figure 2, this opening, such as 22, is such that when the -ball 24 is disposed in the opening .22 it can be propelled by screw head 2B adjustably mounted in the arm .21 which is pivotally connected vat 2.8 Vto the arm 29., the arm 29 being impelled by `the ball knob 30 fixed thereto. This is a description ofthe central ball propelling mechanism and on each side thereof are similar propelling mechanisms designated as 3l and -32 which vdiffer in .that the impelli-ng means `34 and `35 extend sidewardly so as to make the selection by the batter of the lever to be impelled quite distinct and not easily changed.

The screw head 2.6 is adjustably mounted in the arm 2-'I so -that the impact force of .the-screw head 2B on the ball 24 can be so adjusted that the ball 24 on being impelled will land within the side wall 35 of the wheel l0 so that .it will eventually come to rest in one of compartments 3l of the wheel Ill. Y Y. 1

Theight of the -ball is determined by various factors, namely the resiliency of the ball itself, andchanges in the resiliency of the ball can take place through foreign matter accumulating on its surface or on the surface of the screw head 26 or through various other conditions. The

movement of the ball knob 3D which is the iin--V pelling mechanism is controlled Iby the width of the opening 38. Thus it becomes unlikely ,because of the controlled impelling movement transmitted to the ball that the ,ball will land other than in the rotating wheel I0.

The Yside wall 36 of the wheel 4III has on its inside face certain designations which are to be takenA as controlling the progress .of the `game and are determined by the position of the ball as lit comes to rest in one `or the other of the compartments 3l. For example, the batter is .credited when the ball rests, as it does in a particular compartment as shown in Figure 1, with one base hit to `center field which is designated for brevity as C. F.

The outside face of the wall`36 contains Various designations of Safe and Out which determine whether a stealing base runner safely steals or is` thrown out in the game. This determination is effected by the proximity of the Safe or of the Out designation tothe pointer 40.

A'The mechanical operation of the .game is .i11-V stituted by the rotation of' the wheel lo through cap II. The pitcher moves the ball 24 in the cavity I9 so as to conceal his movements from the batter who stands and views only the batter side 2l] of the batting stand I8. The pitcher then places the ball 24 in either the opening 2|, 22 for 23. The batter attempts to guess just as a batter in baseball attempts to guess the nature of the pitch delivered.

His judgment in this 'respect is determined by the previous actions of the pitcher, the ynumber of men on base and the number of balls and strikes against him.

Having decided what kind of ball has been delivered, he strikes either now 34, 30 or`35, and if he :guessed kincorrectly and the ball is not in the corresponding opening on the pitching side then a strike is called against him. If he guesses correctly then, as shown in Figure 2, the ball is propelled through the air and falls into the revolving wheel I0. It comes to rest in a compartment 31 thereof and by the legend on the wall of that compartment .the result 'is determined. All the rules of baseball are employed and followed fromA the individual plays which result.

As shown in Figure 2, certain double plays `are indicated on the wheel by, Vfor example, D. 1P.' 6-4-3. This indicates that the shortstopNo. 6 has caught a grounder and then throws tothe second baseman No. 4 at second base forcing out the runner from first base. The second baseman No. 4 throws to first baseman No. 3 4retiring the batter. This 4is eiective only when a base runner is on rst base. The ordinary plays are indicated `as for example by 4-3 when Athe second baseman 4 catches a grounder hit by the batter and `throws the batter out at first base No. 3. 1 3 mean-sv pitcher No. 1 catches a grounder and and throws the runner out 4at rst basel The players are sequentially ynumbered as in ordinary baseball scoring.

A base runner may attempt to advance after the outiielders catch and in that case the marking on the outside wall lof the wheel as shown uin Figure l will indica-te whether the runner is safe or out, this being determined by the Saiefor Out area indicated by the marker 40.

-The various lrules and plays that generally apply and take place in 'baseball are :employed in this game. When a single is lhit ali men' Yon bases advance two bases. All men on ybase score when a double, triple or home run vis hit. Men not involved in double plays advance one base only with none out.

When a batter is thrown out oni'lrst base men on bases advance one base only.

A batter may declare aloud base runners who are attempting to steal one base only at the particular moment he hits `at the pitch ball 'or allows vit to pass. If the batter swings' and misses with the pitched ball or allows 'it to pass, the result of the play is decided by the .marker 40 (the umpire) lwhich points to either a block lettered Safe or Out on the -outer wall of the playing viield of the wheel when it .stops .revolving.

A strike is declared when the .ball is hit out of the revolving playing field which is regarded as a foul ball which is not called ,if it occurs torI the third strike.

The batter permits the ball to .pass vby raising` his index iinged instead of tipping one .of the .ball impellers.

To pitch an incurre kthe pitcher places the hall without indicating his ,placement in the .right cavity of the battery box. To pitch an outcurve he places it in the left cavity. To pitch a fast straight ball he puts the ball in the center cavity. l

The ball is deceptively introduced into the proper cavity so that the batter has no indication of where the ball is placed. The batter must tip his preferred button While the field is revolving.

Referring now more specically to Figure 4. represents the rear or batting side of the batting stand generally indicated as 46 and the batter has the choice of tapping the knobs 48, 49 or 5t if he desires to strike at the ball and he believes that the pitch delivered in the form of placing the ball by the pitcher in front of the batting stand was an incurve, straight fast ball or an outcurve, respectively.

The batting stand comprises a shield 52 which prevents the batter on the batting side 45 from being able to see into which receiving unit the pitcher has placed the ball 53. The shield 52 is supported on the columns 55 and 55 mounted on the base 5l. The receiving units 58, 59 and 6B are formed by the columns 55 and 5t and the intermediate elements 52 and 53. In Figure the ball 53 is shown, one in the compartment 59 and it is to be understood that only one playing ball 53 is used. This ball is alternately placed in position by the pitcher in the receiving units 58, 59 and E5 and impelled by the batter into the rotating Wheel l5, and then replaced by the pitcher in one or the other of the receiving units.

The impelling oi the ball 53 is accomplished by the mechanism shown in detail in Figure 5, A disc 64 which may be of Wood, ber, plastic or metal is eccentrically pivoted at 65 and mounted to move through a path dened by the position of the disc t4 in full line and the position `of the disc 64 in dotted line. The disc is impelled by the pressure exerted in the form of a tap on the knob 49 which is set into the disc 64 so that when the knob 49 is iorced downwardly as shown in its dotted line position, the disc is moved upwardly in its eccentric path. The blow eiiected on the ball 53 is such that the ball describes an arc and falls within the wall 36 of the rotating wheel lll and then falls into one of the compartments 37 of that rotating Wheel.

Since the edge of the disc 84 moves against the ball 53 in the manner shown, it imparts a forward spin to the ball so that the ball tends to remain within the rotating Wheel l0 its spin having the e'iect of preventing it from bouncing r out of the wheel to cause a foul ball to be called. The blow delivered by the disc 64 on the ball 53 is also limited in force by reason of the structure and path oi the impelling disc 64.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel principles of the invention disclosed herein in connection with the speciiic exemplications thereof will suggest various other modiiications and applications of the same. It is accordingly desired that in construing the breadth oi the appended claims they shall not be limited to the specific exempliiications of the invention described herein.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 499,522, i'lled Aug. 2l, 1943, which has matured into Patent No. 2,436,816.

I claim:

1. A baseball game comprising a rotatable Wheel element containing a plurality of separate compartments adapted to receive a ball, a stand positioned adjacent to said Wheel, said stand having a pitchingside and a batting, side'the pitching side facing said Wheel, a plurality of openings located in said pitching side adapted to receive a ball, a plurality of impelling means corresponding to the number of ysaid openings, leach, adapted to impel a ball vvhen'located in itsV opening into the air with the proper force and direction so as to land said ball Within said rotatable Wheel element, each of said means for impelling the ball having a ball striking means at one side adapted to be directed into its ball-receiving opening, an actuating means at an opposite side extending outwardly from the batting side of the stand and a pivotal connection with said stand intermediate said ball striking means and said actuating means, and means for concealing said openings in said pitching side of said stand from said batting side.

2. The device of claim l in which the Wheel element has a central axial opening adapted to receive a ball bearing, a ball bearing at the end of said opening and a pin having a seat adapted to receive the ball bearing and extending into said opening.

3. The device of claim l in which there are three openings adapted to receive the ball and three corresponding ball impelling means.

4. A baseball game comprising a rotatable Wheel element containing a plurality of separate compartments adapted to receive a ball, a stand positioned adjacent to said wheel, said stand having a pitching side and a batting side, the pitching side facing said wheel, a plurality of openings located in said pitching side adapted to receive a ball, a

plurality of impelling means corresponding to' the number oi said openings, each adapted to impel a ball when located in its opening into the air with the proper force and direction so as to land said ball within said rotatable wheel element, each of said means for impelling the ball having a ball striking means at one side adapted to be directed into its ball-receiving opening, an actuating means at an opposite side extending outwardly from the batting side of the stand and a pivotal connection with said stand intermediate said ball striking .means and said actuating means, and means for concealing said openings in said pitching side of said stand from said batting side, each of said means for impelling said ball comprising a disk eccentrically mounted on said stand.

5. A baseball game comprising a rotatable wheel element containing a plurality of separate compartments adapted to receive a ball, a stand positioned adjacent to said wheel, said stand having a pitching side and a batting side, the pitching side facing said Wheel, a plurality of openings located in said pitching side adapted to receive a ball, a plurality of impelling means corresponding to the number of said openings, each adapted to impel a ball when located in its opening into the air with the proper force and direction so as to land said ball within said rotatable Wheel element, each of said means for impelling the ball having a ball striking means at one side adapted to be directed into its ball-receiving opening, an actuating means at an opposite side extending outwardly from the batting side of the stand and a pivotal connection with said stand intermediate said ball striking means and said actuating means, and means for concealing said openings in said pitching side of said stand from said batting side, each of said means for impelling said ball comprising two lever arms set at an acute angle with respect to one another.

' '6. The devicev of claim. 5 Whichthe ball. strik: ing' means contains an adjustable striking head.

le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS MAXIMILIAN C. MEYER Number Name Dare 264,416 Reynolds Sept. 12, 1882 REFERENCES CITED 5 848,351 DeWalt Mar. 26, 1907 1,032,501 Perman Julyv 16, 1.912 The followmg references are of record 1n the 1,573,445 Koekle Man 30A 1926 

